7 April 2009

I am sure you have all made something at one time or another that is a keeper. Something that you know you will make time and time again, something that is special enough to make for company, something that your friends ask for the recipe? This cake from Anna Olson is one of those things. I took a few pieces to work and now I will be making this cake once a month because a co-worker wants me to make him THIS cake and pay me for it. I am happy to oblige because I am happiest when I am creating in the kitchen...although it doesn't usually involve sugar and flour.

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I have started a weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will be featuring one of our Canadian chefs each week. As the third installment in my Canadian Chef series I will introduce you to:

Anna Olson

According to her website, Anna Olson is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. She moved with her family to the province of Ontario as a child and grew up in the Toronto area. She moved to the Niagara region in 1995. It was here that she met her husband and business partner Michael Olson at Inn on the Twenty, in Jordan Ontario. It is considered to be Ontario's premier winery restaurant, located in the midst of prime Niagara farm and wine country. As always Anna embraced the bounties of the local growers, changing menus seasonally and using only the freshest ingredients possible in her role as pastry chef.

Anna joined the Canadian Food Network starting with her show Sugar and following with her new highly acclaimed new series "Fresh with Anna Olson". The couple currently reside in a beautiful historic home in the heart of Niagara, dated back to the 1860's. It is here that she tapes her successful new program where she tantalizes our tastebuds with each recipe she prepares. I have featured several over the years on this site. "In each episode Anna invites viewers into the comfort of her Niagara region country home, and creates unique meals using her mantra “eat fresh, eat local”.

When not taping or writing, Anna spends most of her time at Olson Foods on Port which is their bakery in Port Dalhousie, a historic lakeside community in St. Catharines, Ontario. The shop opened in 2004 and boasts an open kitchen and sells baked goods made fresh daily, artisanal cheeses and gourmet pantry items. Their latest enterprise is Olson Foods at Ravine, a partnership with the newly opened and acclaimed winery, Ravine Vineyards, in historic St. Davids. Through it all Anna is an advocate for local ingredients and suppliers.

In addition to participating in various fundraisers, Anna supports a local endeavour, the Niagara Women’s Enterprise Centre, which provides hospitality training to women who might not otherwise have such opportunities and her end-of-day product from the bakery is given to the local YWCA women’s shelter or the Out of the Cold Program.

Here is her much praised recipe for Olive Oil Cake that she serves with a delicious citrus salad.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs and sugar. Add olive oil, milk and orange zest and mix well. In a separate bowl, stir flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to olive oil batter and stir just until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let cake cool completely, then turn out onto a plate and dust with icing sugar.

To make Citrus Salad: Cut away skin and pith from outside of oranges and cut out sections of orange with a paring knife, pulling the orange segment out of its membrane. Immediately before serving, toss oranges with olive oil and sugar and serve with a slice of cake.

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

Good write up on Anna Olson - I've been following her career and indeed she has many accomplishments and does spent a good amount of time with charitable organizations as well. This cake is wonderful and I'll bet the olive oil makes it really moist.

I've always liked the idea of olive oil cake. I did make one once (with Tuscan olive oil), but it was a bit ... oily :) I wonder what type of EVOO you used? Here, we buy Spanish oil in 5-litre cans (it's cheaper that way) but it has a very strong, peppery flavour, which I'm not sure would work in a cake. So should I try it with something blander?

I do like the idea of the citrus salad, it must complement it really well!

We always make a side trip to her bakery in Port Dalhousie when we go to Niagara. Such great breads and cheeses. I haven't run into her though - I am waiting to pick up a book until she is there to sign it!Such beautiful country there, rich bounty - that's where I'd be if my ship came in!

I love Anna! I actually got to meet her just over a year ago when I was in Toronto doing CBC's Test the Nation. I had a chat with her and her husband and they were very nice people. She actually inspired me to retrain in pastry!

Don't know Anna Olson down here in FL, but I do know that I like cakes made with olive oil (over butter) and with orange essence, I'm sure it's delicious. You've already got one order...maybe you'll go into mass productions and we can all try it!

Oh droolworthy to the 'T' Val. I made an Alice Medrich one from Cenk's Cafe Fernando earlier, & this is one I want to make right away! Love the citrus salad on the side...it's very appealing! I always look forward to your 'Canadian Chef' posts.

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My blog More Than Burnt Toast has been my passion for almost 12 years and has evolved with me over time as I have gained confidence in the kitchen. Follow my travels through Italy and Greece one recipe at a time, upcoming cooking classes at local Okanagan wineries and restaurants, as well as daily experimentation in my own kitchen. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market. I look forward to getting to know you.